News

2 November 2009

Unite, the UK’s largest union, and the paper industry employers, the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) have come together in a campaign to improve health and safety at all levels in the industry.

The UK paper related industries continue to see an unacceptably high level of serious machine accidents. Over the last 2 years there have been several deaths and a number of very serious accidents in paper mills, corrugating plants and recovered paper operations. This is in spite of a reducing number of minor accidents.

To prevent further accidents Unite and the CPI are launching a “Say No” and “Say Yes” campaign in the paper industries at the CPI Health and Safety conference in the West Midlands tomorrow (Tuesday, 3rd November).

Unite and the CPI is calling on the industry to “Say No” to unsafe tasks. Saying “No” means not taking risks, not doing dangerous work, not cutting corners and not putting production before safety.

Unite and the CPI is also calling on the industry to “Say Yes” and making the industry safer. Saying “Yes” means acting on health and safety complaints and queries, working together on risk assessments and safe systems of work, reporting near misses, conducting joint accident and incident investigations, undergoing joint health and safety training, and recognising that good health and safety is good for business.

Unite assistant general secretary, Tony Burke, said:

“This campaign will seek to educate our members on this very serious issue. Health and safety of workers should not be taken lightly and we will fight to ensure all our members are safe at work and are up-to-date with health and safely legislation. The current health and safety guidelines for these workers is not working especially in an era that encourages greater participation on health and safety issues.”

CPI Director General, Martin Oldman, said

“Whilst we have seen significant improvements in our health and safety environment over the years, there is a need to encourage greater engagement in the health and safety management process throughout the industry - and this is what the new campaign seeks to achieve. Our partnership agreement with Unite has again demonstrated its value in the purpose and resolve that this initiative represents.”

ENDS

For further information please contact Tony Burke on 07831 659939 or Andrew Braund (CPI) 01522 797381 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 7420 7914 or 07980 224761.